Disclaimer: I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of its characters. However, if you would like to get the show running again, feel free to nominate me as president of Kids WB :D (Again, disclaimers are pointless)
Pairings: Okay seriously, you all should know me well enough to know there would be raikim.
Rating: T for language.
This story takes place after season 3.
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Face Down
By: Sarah (XxXanaxX)
Chapter One: Akebono
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It was 5:00 in Tokyo, Japan. Mrs. Kimiko Tohmiko was driving through the streets with the sunroof off. To any passing bystander, it would look as if she had a happy life. That she was sitting high on her pedestal without a care in the world. They thought wrong.
Truth be told, coming back to Tokyo wasn't as glamorous as she had imagined it. She thought that after her life at the temple, that she could come back and still have all her friends and her old life. However, life was exactly the opposite. When she came back, all her friends acted like they did not know her. Apparently there were rumors going around about where she had been for the last three and a half years. One of them was that she ran off with some guy and got married in Las Vegas. Another was that she got pregnant and was too ashamed and decided to flee the country. So now people labeled her as the town whore. Of course her best friend Keiko did not believe these rumors. However, Keiko was offered an amazing job at a fashion industry in New York. She wanted to stay and be there for Kimiko, but Kimiko refused to hold her back.
Tohomiko Electronics is bigger than ever. The company is receiving over 2.5 million dollars a day now. Kimiko expected that when she returned, her father would graciously offer her a job at his very famous company. When he didn't she asked for a job, or even an internship. He just shook his head and said, "Kimi, we are getting more money than we ever have before! Right now, I need the best engineers and scientists on my team."
Kimiko felt alone. She had no friends or family to confide in. When she came back from China, no one was even waiting at the airport. She had to take a cab home. Now, she works as a waitress during the day and a bar tender at night. She had to pay for her double bed room apartment that her and her boyfriend shared. That's right, boyfriend.
His name is Kenji Hiromasa. She has been dating him for about eight months now. The first few months were great, he brought her flowers, took her out, and made her feel wanted. But now, he was just… hard to get along with.
And what about the other monks you ask? She hasn't kept in touch with any of them. She would love just to hear their voices again, but she lost their contact information about seven or eight months ago.
Her depressing thoughts were interrupted when she realized she had arrived at her apartment. She sat there a few moments starring at the large brick building. It may look like a normal building on the outside, but inside was some terrible memories and endless nights of nightmares. She opened her door and slowly made her way up the stone steps. She walked across the lobby and to the elevator. She entered the elevator next to a red headed, American man. The man looked about mid twenties, maybe younger. He wore a business suit and carried a suitcase. The ride was silent, while the man snuck a few glances at Kimiko.
"Excuse me, I don't mean to be rude, but aren't you Toshiro Tohomikko's daughter?" he asked while Phil Collins music played in the little speaker above their heads.
"Yes. I'm Kimiko." She smiled politely and extended her hand.
He took it immediately and gave it a firm shake. "I am Joseph Smith. I have heard many great things about you. I imagine you are getting a whole lot of yen from that raise your father's company received." He looked down at her admiringly.
"I get by." She replied simply. She learned from her father over the years to never give out your account information or your credit wealth.
"Well I say you do more that just get by. Well this is my floor. It was a pleasure Mrs. Tohomikko." He gave her hand another firm shake and walked out of the elevator. Kimiko only had a few seconds to collect her thoughts before the elevator reopened on her floor. She took a left and headed down to the end of the long hallway until she finally reached room 619. She slowly turned the key and walked into the room with caution.
"Kimiko, is that you?" yelled a lazy voice from inside another room.
"Yea, Kenji, its me." She yelled tiredly. She laid her purse on the granite counter that bordered her kitchen and walked into the living room. On the couch was a young man, about 19 or 20. He had jet-black hair that was short in the back but his bangs were long and covered half of one of his eyes. He laid lazily across the couch flipping through the channels on the television.
"Who's Clay Bailey?" He asked accusingly, not even looking up from the television.
'Clay?' she thought. She hadn't talked to him in so long, and she had never mentioned him to Kenji.
"Old friend. Why?"
"He's not that Brazilian boy from the temple is he?"
"No! Wait, how did you know I went to a temple with a boy from Brazil?"
"Keiko. Now who is Clay Bailey?"
"He went to the temple with me. Now where did you hear of Clay?" So many situations were going through her head. Did something bad happen? Was there a horrible attack on Texas in the news? So many ridiculous scenarios were playing in her mind. These nasty thoughts made her breath catch in her throat.
"You got a letter in the mail from him, it's in the bedroom."
With that, she dashed back into the previous room and across the tile into a light blue colored room with a huge bed in the center. She walked over to the chestnut dresser where a vanilla envelope with her name written in cursive lay. She carefully opened the letter and read it over and over at least five times. It was an invitation.
Dear Ms. Kimiko Tohomiko,
We would like to invite you to the wedding of Clay Bailey and Chloe Stephens.
The wedding will take place in Houston, Texas at the Williamson Baptist Church.
We hope that you can come and celebrate our happiness.
Sincerely,
Clay and Chloe
Clay? Married? This was too insane. Happiness boiled over her and she let out a high pitch shriek. When she went to put the invitation back in the envelope, she noticed a small, folded up sheet of paper. She unfolded it and read it silently to herself.
Kimiko,
When you get this letter, call me at this number: 425-1995.
Love,
Clay
Immediately she reached for her phone and flipped it open. She dialed the number quickly with trembling fingers. Then she lifted the phone to her ear and listened to the ringing.
Ring
Ring
"Hello?" A males voice came through the phone.
"Is this Clay Bailey?" she asked nervously.
"Yes this is, how may I help you?" He was still the same old polite cowboy he'd always been.
"Its me, Kimiko." She said a little more cheery.
"Hey Kim! How are you doing?"
She paused at the question to take a short glance at Kenji, who was now watching her. "I'm great how about you?"
"Never been better!" he chuckled.
"So what's this I hear about Mr. Clay Bailey getting married? Who's the lucky girl?" her voice full of playful accusation.
He laughed light heartedly. "Her names Chloe, she's amazing. I think you too would be really good friends. Which brings me to what I've been wanting to ask you. Is there anyway you can take a break from work and come down here for about a month or two before the wedding?"
"Yes, defiantly. Can I ask why?" She had wanted a vacation or at least a break from her life for a while. What better way than visiting an old friend.
"Well, Chloe and I were talking, and she said she would be honored if you would be the maid of honor at the wedding."
She almost dropped the phone, but quickly got over her moment of speechlessness to answer his question. "I-I would love to! Yes defiantly!" she stuttered.
"Fantastic, can you come down this week? "
"I'm ordering my tickets right now."
"Well, I guess I better go. Chloe's mom just pulled in. I'll see you soon Kim. Bye bye."
"See you soon, Clay." She flipped her phone shut and turned towards the door. She was startled to she Kenji standing in the doorway with him arms crossed. How had she not heard him?
"What's going on?"
"I am going to go to Texas for my friend's wedding." She said while grabbing the phone book to look up the airport's number. Kenji dashed across the room like lightning and snatched the book from her hand. "What the hell, Kenji? Give it back!"
"Why did you think you could just pack up and go without asking me first?" He looked down on her with a glare.
"Because I'm and independent woman." She spat back.
He starred at her for a long moment then tossed the phone book back in her direction. He walked off towards the door then turned and looked over his shoulder. "Fine, but I'm going with you." He scoffed, and then he turned back and walked into the living room. Kimiko turned around and sat on the bed. She dug through some drawers in her dresser until she found a small bottle of pills. She took out two small, white capsules and swallowed them dry.
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This is probably the longest chapter I have written ever!!! *Claps for me* Anyways this idea came to me in a dream and it's a little different than my other stories, but I hope you enjoy it! Remember the more reviews, the quicker the update :D Flames are welcome.
Sarah (XxXanaxX)
PS: Clay's phone number is my birthday ;) lol